Yesterday, it was reported that Queen Elizabeth II had died! The following was published by the BBC: Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate.  The newly appointed Prime Minister of the UK, Liz Truss, said, “Queen Elizabeth was the rock on which modern Britain was built, who had provided us with the stability and strength that we needed.”

Although Truss’ tribute was sincere and sweet in expressing deep respect for the monarch, part of her script was seriously wrong. Sentiment is nice, but sentiment is wrong and harmful if not validated by reasoned facts. My dictionary defines “sentiment” as “tendency to be moved by feeling rather than reason.” Innocently, Truss’ tribute contained error… It was largely founded on feelings. The truth is: Queen Elizabeth was the UK’s “Defender of the faith.” She wasn’t “the rock” upon which the Christian faith is founded, and therefore it was wrong of Truss to refer to Queen Elizabeth as being the UK’s “rock” and provider of stability and strength.
 
Side note: “Defender of the faith” (Latin: Fidei Defensor) is a title belonging to the sovereign of England in the same way as Christianissimus (“most Christian”) belonged to the king of France.

Friends, Scripture is not a library of sentimental feelings, it’s pure, unchanging, reasoned truth! Scripture reveals the identity of “the Rock” upon which the Christian faith is founded. The Psalmist testified, ”The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety” (18:2).
 
Inspired by Scripture and personal experience, Edward Mote composed a hymn, entitled “On Christ the solid rock I stand.” The lyrics of the hymn are sentimental and scripturally sound, testifying the following…

1. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

1. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

1. His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

1. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in Him be found; dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

Friends, throughout her unprecedented 70 years, 7 months, and 2 days reign as constitutional monarch of the UK, Queen Elizabeth’s life consistently and convincingly testified that her faith was firmly founded upon Jesus, the Christ… her Rock! She defended the Christian faith with her life!
 
With lives firmly grounded on “The Rock”, believers would do well to follow the God-honoring example of Queen Elizabeth II… UK’s true “Defender of the Faith”!  
 
Best wishes
Bill